ACC

When it comes to men's basketball strength and national exposure, the rich have gotten richer in the Atlantic Coast Conference with the introduction of Syracuse, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh to a family that already includes Duke, North Carolina and Virginia. Mission accomplished, commissioner John Swofford.

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NEW ADDITIONS, IMMEDIATE IMPACT. Though the new programs will be getting their first taste of ACC men's basketball conference play, it shouldn't take them long to get comfortable. All three programs are capable of finishing in the upper half of the conference standings, and being included in the NCAA tournament field.

BLUE DEVIL CHANGES. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski should get plenty of offense from freshman forward Jabari Parker and Mississippi State transfer forward Rodney Hood to help offset the losses of Seth Curry, Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly — the Blue Devils' three leading scorers last season.

HOW LONG WILL HAIRSTON BE GONE? North Carolina is well-stocked with forward James Michael McAdoo and guards Leslie McDonald and Marcus Paige, but it needs guard P.J. Hairston if it hopes to challenge Duke for the top spot in the ACC. Hairston was indefinitely suspended by coach Roy Williams after Hairston was pulled over by police three times in the offseason.

LAST HURRAH A MEMORABLE ONE? As Maryland begins its last men's basketball season in the ACC before it jumps to the Big Ten, the Terrapins have high hopes that they can sneak into the NCAA tournament. Guard Dez Wells is a potential All-ACC performer for coach Mark Turgeon.

BOUNTIFUL TOURNAMENT BIDS. With as many as eight teams (Duke, UNC, U.Va., Syracuse, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Maryland and possibly Florida State) that could make a legitimate case for NCAA tournament inclusion, the ACC should be poised to make an enormous impact when the postseason rolls around.